


The paths we walk together

by EnlacingLines



Series: All roads series [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Anal Fingering, Blow Jobs, Established Relationship, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, M/M, Post-Blue Lions Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:40:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25473268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnlacingLines/pseuds/EnlacingLines
Summary: In the water he is...free, but also clearly enjoying what he does, not as actual escapism, but there is joy in every kick and plunge that he doesn’t have on land, and a fluidity in his movement which can only be gained by swimming. It’s hypnotising to watch, and sort of relaxing to Felix in itself.Or it would be, if it were not for an increasing problem: Ashe looks too damn good.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Felix Hugo Fraldarius
Series: All roads series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1845169
Comments: 10
Kudos: 33





	The paths we walk together

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a sequel to my long fic 'All roads lead to you and I.' While it's not 100% necessary to have read that first, some parts won't make sense. 
> 
> This fic wouldn't exist without Valania, who was the ultimate cheerleader for the first story, and asked for a follow up. Thank so much for being a wonderful friend, and for your help with this story <3
> 
> Also thank you to MXTicketyBoo for betaing <3
> 
> Enjoy!

This is a mistake. Felix stands on deck, eyeing the water with a suspicious glare, the undulation of the deck beneath his feet forcing him to plant his stance whenever he stays still for too long. It’s unnatural, this movement of the ocean, even with apparent blessed calmness they received on their journey. 

People, Felix thinks, were not meant to mix with the sea. He’s been sure of this since he first learned there were huge bodies of water in this world which could become violent on whim, sweeping away anything in their path. 

Ashe thinks he’s read too many stories of sailors drowning and monsters of the depths, but now having (almost) crossed the sea to Brigid, he is evermore convinced this is something which should not be trifled with. 

He sighs, the land ahead drawing closer with every moment, tension in his shoulder relaxing inch by inch as it does. He’s still on edge, not just from the fact he’s been on water for far too long, but for how long he’ll be away from home. 

But, this is important. Not so much for him, but to Ashe. And if something is important to Ashe, it automatically becomes high on Felix’s priority list. 

“I promise, we’ll be landing today.” 

Felix turns, slowly as he feels like he must do everything slowly on this vessel, to face Ashe who wanders towards him, smile bright and fresh, as if this is the epitome of a wonderful day. Which Felix supposes it would be, on solid ground. 

Ashe reaches him, sliding close and tipping his head to rest against the side of Felix’s, who wraps an arm around his waist automatically. A not quite practised gesture, but now one that comes without hesitation or questioning. It has been seven moons since their confession, and slowly, he’s getting used to having someone in his space. 

Not that he doesn’t want that. The yearning to touch and be touched has startled him with its intensity, the strange cravings for it, and similarly, times when it’s too much to even receive a brush of a finger against his palm. But Ashe is good at reading him, has learned almost as well as he what different moods equate to. 

And now he’s on edge, needs soothing but only slightly, which Ashe obliges by the small touch and leaning away to stare out at the incoming land. 

“The Captain says we’ll be there by evening. Then straight to our lodgings,” Ashe says with a grin that shouldn’t make Felix’s knees shake and his stomach swoop but oh, how it does. 

Except his bones hurt and his eyes sting from being in unfamiliar territory, something that never makes him sleep soundly, but this boat...the thought of a stable bed to do nothing but sleep on for a solid night would be heavenly. 

And with Ashe, more than that. 

“I’m happy we’re left alone for the first week,” he says, walking slowly towards Ashe and the side of the deck, looking more at the horizon than below. 

“Which means you’re not allowed to talk about work, or duty, or anymore about that house building project Sylvain is taking care of, and will be fine with. A week of actual holiday, Felix,” Ashe says sternly, although he smiles all the while. 

Felix is not good at relaxing, or not doing something. It’s taken him so many years to be at peace with what he’s started to do as Duke, so breaking from that is difficult. Plus, the entire idea of taking more than a moon out to do something as trivial as travelling has never appealed to him, but then Ashe had been taken down by a poisoned axe two moons ago, almost killing him and shaving several years of Felix’s life in terror. 

They needed a break. Annette and Sylvain had jumped to agree when Felix had tentatively suggested it while exhausted one evening, and it was practically arranged for him by order of the King after that. So of course, once the time out had been granted, Felix knew it was an opportunity to take Ashe to the ocean. 

And it’s worth the... _ issues _ he’s experiencing. He never expected to dislike water this much, but he’s sure it’s a small price to pay for what will be a wonderful time. They have a week of just them before the meet with Petra, do some travelling in nearby areas, followed by another few days of alone time, and then they return home.

But the quiet, the alone time, that he’s looking forward to more than he can say. 

The closer they get to land, the more animated both become, although for different reasons. Ashe is correct, they land just as the sun is setting, taking their luggage and making their way to the carriage which is there to greet them. Felix strides forward, feeling better than he has in days, greeting the driver warmly before stowing their luggage. 

The ride is less than an hour, and there isn’t much to see in the dying light. Ashe sits beside him, a book he borrowed from the Palace library which tells of the history of Brigid sitting on his lap, idly naming things to do and see in the area. 

It’s soothing; the rhythm of the carriage, the sound of Ashe’s voice, the warmth of the night air, so much more pleasant than any area of Felix’s homelands. The half light doesn’t help his exhaustion, and he finds himself lulled,head tipping downwards, and starting up with slight jerks of the carriage. 

At some point, he must have fully succumbed to sleep, as he wakes with an ache in his neck, Ashe murmuring against his hair. 

“We’re here, Felix. Wake up,” he whispers, hand soft as it winds through escaping strands of hair, lips pressed so close in speech they seem almost a half kiss that he could sink into, down and down with the pull of sleep. But he sits up, grimacing at the knotted muscles, and Ashe steals a kiss of his cheek before jumping out. Felix stares after him for a moment, caught in a realisation of this is real, he’s here, this is happening, before his mind restarts enough so he can make his way yawning out of the carriage and into the inn. 

It’s quiet. A small set up, surrounded by trees, the smell and vague sounds of the sea still in the air, but far enough away to make Felix comfortable with the distance. Ashe talks to the innkeeper animatedly while Felix continues to yawn and try to stay alert, offering Ashe a nod when he returns with the key to their room. 

“You really are exhausted, we can go to sleep in a second,” Ashe says with a laugh as they climb the stairs. 

“Apologies,” Felix mutters, guilt crawling out piece by piece. His mind wanders over the time so far; this was meant to be for Ashe, and so far he’s just been unsettled and annoyed at the method of transport, sleep deprived, and probably awful company. Not exactly a restful experience. 

“What? Wait, hang on, let’s go in,” Ashe calls from above him, reaching the top and turning to the left, before opening the last door on the corridor. 

Felix follows him in, depositing the bag by the door and lighting the candles with a practiced ease of magic and not much thought as Ashe closes the door behind him. In the glow, he blinks at the furnishings, not the lavish expanse he’d see at the palace, but plush in a more homey but still decadent way. The bed is the centrepiece, Felix staring at the fact it’s a four poster, with drapes in a dark blue colour, set off the ground. Coordinated curtains cover what looks to be a huge set of windows on the other side, but Felix has no temptation to look outside until later. There’s no flourish or grandeur but it’s all nice. Definitely relaxing enough to escape from the norm. 

He starts a little at the sudden hug from behind, Ashe drawing him against his chest. He realizes quickly, though, muscles uncurling completely as Ashe rests his head on his shoulder. 

“I know you're tired, it’s a good idea to sleep now. We have a whole week together,” he says, and Felix smiles, the guilt easing, knowing the words to be true. He still doesn’t feel like he’s good at this, but he tries, and mostly, thankfully, it works out. 

He turns in Ashe’s arms, kissing him without thinking or even having to look, it’s become so simple, so part of their interactions, he knows how to aim and find what he seeks. Ashe draws him closer, arms around his neck in a cliche romantic entangle from a novel that Felix adores far too much. 

It’s the curling heat of comfort and care, love in liquid form, spilling over in pleasant sensation which he sinks into slowly. It’s everything he didn’t know he could ever need, everything he now knows is what makes what is between them so good and lasting. Between the fire and small moments there is this, constant and consuming, and he could stay here forever. Although that sentiment is in itself too much to voice, even to the person he loves. There are some things that shouldn’t quite be admitted. 

Of course he cannot stay like that, so they part when the need for air becomes too great, slowly untangling themselves. Reluctantly, Felix steps back, only to see Ashe giving him that knowing stare, and he huffs, annoyed he still blushes at times like this. Ashe laughs quietly, kissing his cheek once before turning away. 

“Let’s sleep,” he says, and Felix yawns in agreement, both speeding through their nightly routines, before Felix half collapses into the sheets, unsure if the bed is so inviting as it’s a particularly comfortable one, or as he’s been missing a real bed for so long. 

He doesn’t recall sleeping, or Ashe coming to bed after him. He does, though, wake with a start, so disoriented he almost tips out of bed to lunge for his sword, until he recalls where he is and why. 

Felix stares at the ceiling, lower than he’s used to, the drapes still held together neatly as neither of them had bothered to take them down. He exhales, closing his eyes, unsure why he was ripped so abruptly into consciousness, but enjoying the slow fall back to sleep. 

Until a noise by his side floats through, and he pushes his eyes open. He turns on his side slowly, peering over at Ashe, whose back is to him. In the darkness, it’s hard to see detail, but he seems asleep. Perhaps Felix had imagined it, he isn’t the deepest of sleepers. But he gives it a second, just to make sure. 

Which is good as Ashe makes another pained sound, and Felix sits up quickly. Ashe has nightmares, bad ones that Felix wishes he could cut down and bury deep. They all deal with the past in their own ways; Felix himself simply does not sleep at all, mind refusing to allow him, while Ashe’s dreams turn against him and, even more frighteningly, it’s hard to wake him from them. They cling, want to steal him from reality, and forcing him out doesn’t end well. It’s a delicate thing, and Felix is not one to ease into anything. 

But he knows, at least a little, of how to do this now. He braces himself, though, as Ashe twitches, slowly placing a hand on his shoulder. When nothing happens, he slowly smooths his hand down his side then up again, pressure light but increasing, lowering himself so he can be closer, not quite lying down or pulling Ashe to him like he wants to. 

“Ashe,” he tries into the silence. There’s another muttering, and Felix winces at the tone. 

“Ashe, it’s a dream. Just a dream, wake up,” he says, and Ashe turns, a flailing motion Felix is ready for, eyes still closed but even in the almost darkness, Felix can see the hurt on his face. 

He leans down now, thumb stroking between his eyebrows as Ashe whimpers and speaks again. 

“Ashe, I’m here. It’s okay. Wake up.” 

It works this time. Eyes fly open, darting around in panic and Ashe tenses, breath exhaling in a shake as Felix finally slips down to wrap and arm around his middle. 

“F-Felix?” he says, throat giving out on the first syllable, and Felix shuffles closer as Ashe’s hand reaches out to grip his shirt. 

“Right here. It’s okay,” he says, and Ashe tips forward and buries his head in Felix’s collarbone, still shaking. Felix moves a hand to his hair, stroking through it, before reaching up to wave a fire spell at the candle on the bedside table. 

The light helps the world feel more present, or at least that’s his aim. He doesn’t do anything further, though, just allows Ashe to hold on, ground himself back in reality. Eventually, he pulls back, Felix doing the same. Ashe inhales, then tips up his chin to look Felix in the eye, his own seeming darker, as if the shadows still invade. 

“Sorry, I woke you up after you needed sleep,” he says. 

Felix shakes his head, then rests his forehead against Ashe’s, who sighs and relaxes in his arms. That in itself helps give him peace, that there is comfort to be found after fear. 

“Want to talk about it?” he asks, and Ashe hesitates for a second, Felix backing away enough to see his face. There is a hint of tears there, and Felix just wants to battle, arm himself to defeat this enemy; but again, there is no possibility of that. 

“Just...Remire Village. But it was where I grew up instead. I know it’s not real, I know, but it still feels—”

Felix can see the quaking, Ashe starting to slide back into the nightmare, and Felix has to stop it, moving forward and kissing him. He knows it’s probably not the best way of dealing with it, wonders if it was unfair to cut him off half way. But when Ashe kisses back fiercely, almost pushing as Felix in his efforts to get closer, he knows a distraction is welcome. 

The kiss breaks, and Ashe sighs, then curls into Felix, whose heart pounds loudly in his own ears, from both the kiss and the moments before, the worry and the need to act still coursing and burning. 

“Thank you,” Ashe whispers, which Felix knows is an end, although he feels as if he’s failed somehow. But it’s not his choice on this, so he simply holds Ashe as his breathing evens out, a watchdog in the dark to protect and defend in as much as he can.

* * *

Felix wakes alone. Which is unusual, for he is the early riser. He doesn’t worry too much about the lack of Ashe, knows even when he wakes later than Felix, he tends not to stay in bed. He sits up, mind still thick with sleep and stumbles as he gets up, the height of the bed something he’s not expecting. He rubs his eyes as he makes his way to the windows, throwing the curtains open and regretting it instantly when the sun sears through his eyes. He groans, backing away, just as the sound of the door opening reaches him. 

“Oh you’re up, I was—Felix, are you okay?” 

“The sun is too much,” he hisses as he holds his head in his hands, and even Ashe’s loud laughter isn’t enough to soothe the sting. 

“It’s very bright this morning, and it’s going to be hot. Come on, it’s not so bad,” Ashe says, voice moving closer, until a shadow falls over him. 

Felix leans forward and Ashe catches him, folds him up and laughs again, the vibrations echoing through Felix in a rumbling, pleasant way. He’s a little tired, and as he sits, the events of the night slither back through. He tenses then pulls back, looking up at Ashe and blinking. 

Ashe looks rested. No shadows under his eyes, no dazed look that sometimes accompanies a night of terror, of which he’s thankful for. But Felix still recalls the shaking, the explanation of the vision he saw and wonders if it is truly alight, even in this morning’s brilliance. 

“Good morning,” Ashe says, and Felix stands so they meet eye to eye, and leans forward to kiss him without another word. 

It’s soft, closed-mouthed as Felix doesn’t want to think about the state of his breath. Ashe melds into him, looking pleased and comfortable when he pulls back after merely a moment. 

“How are you?” Felix blurts out, no finesse and winces after, but Ashe smiles. 

“Good. I think I slept well after the dream. I’m sorry I woke you, but thank you for bringing me out of it. I hope I didn't cause any injuries this time,” he says, and Felix rolls his eyes. 

“As you if could,” he says and Ashe mock gasps, leaning forward. 

“I’ll have you know I can be very bruising when I want to,” he says, leaning in to ghost his words across Felix’s neck, and he tilts it to Ashe without even thinking. 

He swallows as Ashe places kisses there, dancing touches that are so far from bruising they shouldn’t leave phantom marks, but they do. They remind Felix that Ashe is right, he can and has left his mark on Felix’s skin, blemished his back more times than Felix can count with those faint red lines, left imprints of his lips on his neck, just like he’s pretending to now, just like he could do now. 

But Ashe stops once he meets his jaw, pulling away and smiling. 

“Are you hungry? I brought us breakfast. We can sit in the sun,” he says, letting go and walking away as if Felix isn’t suddenly interested in getting them both back into bed this very second. 

Felix glares as he turns back and huffs, the teasing good but also hideous. It’s also a distraction to the original question. 

“Are you sure it’s all...well?” he says, again words failing where actions are his forte. 

Ashe turns though from where he was sorting a tray Felix hadn’t previous seen, and fixes Felix with a stare. 

“I promise. It was a nightmare. Not my worst, and I’m okay. I slept better. I will tell you if it’s too bad,” he says, and Felix hates that he feels that’s for his benefit, that he needs the status spelled out for him, to understand where he’s needed and why. 

But he’s been given his answer so he takes Ashe’s lead and picks up his own bowl of fruits and still warm bread and allows Ashe to take them outside to the balcony, which he hadn’t seen when blinded by the sun. 

Tea helps bring him fully to consciousness, although it’s only mid morning and the sun is scorching. As Ashe promised, it will be hot today. Their view is excellent; although there are other inns near, he knows. They must be far out, for it seems like it’s only them in this luscious green area, leading down to the shore and then to the sea, an endless scene of colour from green to yellow to blue. Not what he is used to from their homeland. 

“We could go to the sea later? When it’s cooled a little,” Ashe says, and Felix nods, for being on dry land and near enough to it he can return has put him at ease in being closer to the water. 

“Can you swim?” Ashe asks, and Felix looks at him over his cup. 

“Do I really need to answer that?” he says, and Ashe laughs. 

“I could teach you!” he says, sounding far too excited by the prospect, but the excitement is what Felix didn’t know he needed to hear from him, so he agrees readily, even though it involves him eyeing the water in the distance warily for the rest of the day. 

Ashe takes the lead for their morning, which is fine by Felix, he’s not really thought about what to do past getting here unscathed. They walk around after breakfast, which doesn’t last too long considering within a few hours it’s too hot for them to stand being in direct sunlight. What they see is beautiful though, a small town with sandstone buildings, each with their own history neither of them yet know. 

“There’s a market tomorrow, we should head out earlier to see it,” Ashe says as they wander back to the inn, and Felix nods, thinking back to some of the places they’ve seen so far, committing to memory where to find them again either tomorrow or later that evening. 

He ends up falling asleep while Ashe reads, and he wakes to find Ashe half balancing it on his head while he curls up on his chest. He should probably be annoyed at that, but Ashe seems to be absorbed in the words and running a hand through Felix’s hair, which had mysteriously come undone from it’s tie in the time he’s been napping. 

That is until he moves unexpectedly, causing Ashe to start and drop the book on his face. After apologising and ensuring Felix is okay, Ashe finds it the funniest thing that’s happened in some time, which Felix does not agree on. They walk hand in hand to the beach, Ashe still chortling every now and then, Felix replying with a glare. 

“There’s a calmer cove this way, so we can’t be caught in the tide. It will make swimming easier. I asked for recommendations this morning,” Ashe explains as they head down an unfamiliar path, the sound of insects and the brush of the waves their only companions.

It is still far too hot for his liking, but it is moving from afternoon towards early evening, so it’s much easier to walk around. Ashe leads him through the greenery towards a path of stone steps, where the vibrancy is gently replaced by sand, until they step down onto the shore. 

The water is so beautifully calm and blue, it takes Felix’s breath away for a moment. It’s nestled between high cliffs of grey, the sky bright, the water shades that seem to glow, calmly and continuously as Ashe carries on, joy  apparent in every step. He turns back to Felix,  clearly wondering why he’s simply standing there, and for a moment he is simply caught in Ashe. Framed by the sun, hair moving in the breeze, all of him emboldened and brought into definition by the light of the moving sun. 

Felix thinks he’s already got more freckles just from this short day, and he should know, after all. He has counted and kissed as many as he can find, and those on the bridge of his nose are new and bold, small changes he wants to categorise and keep, learning these things about the person he loves, how he transforms in different settings. 

“I promise I’ll keep you safe!” Ashe calls, and Felix jolts back to reality. 

“It’s just water,” he mumbles, and Ashe holds out his hand with an understanding look. 

“We won’t go too far, and you can sit in the shade whenever you like,” he says, leaning forward and kissing the bridge of Felix’s nose, making him blink in confusion before Ashe leads them over to the shadow of one of the cliffs, a row of tall palm trees behind them. 

There’s no one around to disturb them, so they take their time setting down their clothes and the rug Ashe bought to sit on the sand. Ashe glares when Felix throws his shirt down haphazardly, picking it up and folding it with a look as Felix shrugs, not really caring what happens to it. 

Ashe folds his own clothes up carefully, back turned to Felix as he surveys the water. From behind, there is the smallest hint of the now slowly fading scar which portrays where the axe clattered into his shoulder, the poison disrupting the process so that it may never be a full clean healing. It has faded more with time, the tip of the scar more of a bruise-coloured line that falls just over the top of his shoulder. 

Felix inhales, recalling one of the main reasons why they are here. To relax, and to spend time with one another. Swimming is something Ashe loves, and Felix will try at least to make this good, even though he’s struggling. 

So there’s just the matter of getting in the water. 

It doesn’t bite, the worst it will be is unpleasant, and seeing as Felix has survived war, he most certainly can survive a dip in the calm sea. Or that’s what he scolds himself as he walks forward, Ashe leading and turning back on occasion, checking he’s still there as they draw to the water’s edge. 

“When you’re ready,” Ashe says, pressing a kiss to his cheek before he steps into the water, wading then turning to float on his back, eyes closed and clearly blissful. Felix is almost jealous that Ashe can achieve such feelings so swiftly, and follows almost without thought, drawn in by the serenity of the witnessed moment. 

One touch of the water on his toes though and he shudders. It’s cold. Not freezing, he’s washed in plenty of frozen lakes since he was a child, but considering how hot the day has been, he was expecting warmth to curl around him, not this startling freshness. 

He grimaces with every step, although by the time the water is up to his knees, it doesn’t feel so bad. It’s actually refreshing with the way it pushes and pulls at his skin, gently drawing him deeper and closer to Ashe who still floats, looking upwards. 

It’s around the time the water reaches his waist that the pull however gentle starts to feel too much. Felix stops, digs his feet into the sand and stays perfectly still while his heart beats as if he’s about to jump into battle. 

Nothing happens. The water still laps, still tries to pull but he is steadfast, and everything settles as he realises he can withstand this. Ridiculous, as he’s most certainly fine,but it’s still unnerving. 

“Felix? Are you okay?” Ashe says as he wades across, smiling and soaked from head to toe. Felix nods, not sure he wants to explain that even this feels like a lot, and he hasn’t felt this off centre since he first picked up a sword, learning all of them were still too heavy for his tiny hands to hold. 

Ashe reaches out, palms up towards him. 

“Here, we can go a little further if you like. Easier to try swimming,” he says, waiting for Felix to decide if that’s what he wants to do. 

And he does. Despite it all, he does. Wants to ease into that relaxed state, as much as possible but more than that, share even a slice of whatever it is that Ashe sees in the beauty and tranquillity of the sea. So he takes the outstretched hands and allows Ashe to step backwards and guide him further out, their hands touching all the while. 

“Okay, you naturally float and the sea is calm, so you won’t wash away,” he says once they’re deeper, and Felix scoffs. 

“I know that,” he says, but there is just an inherent danger in things which appear calm and yet have the power to destroy so thoroughly. 

But it is...fine. Felix can’t say he fully enjoys the time Ashe spends teaching him. Part of it is fun, the adrenaline of success when he manages to cross the expanse of water with minimal mistakes, the sweet guidance from Ashe, and the way he holds Felix close at every opportunity, even when it’s not strictly necessary. 

But he finds he hates getting his head wet, the water in his eyes stings and the soothing kisses he gains in response aren’t enough to truly make him want to immerse himself in the depths. 

“I’m going to go dry off,” he says, breathing hard for it takes more effort than he imagined to swim. 

In response Ashe leans forward and kisses him, so deep and unexpected that Felix closes his eyes immediately. He tastes like the sea, salted and lips chapped from the dryness of the waves, their skin chilled and wet, burning a little where they connect, Felix suddenly so aware that there is nothing except stray droplets between them. 

The sun hits his skin as Ashe’s hand touches his cheeks, keeping him close as they breathe in tandem, a small break before the kiss continues, the fear of the water a dying ember in his mind as he feels Ashe take him in tiny pieces, giving back love and want and care with every pass of lips. 

When they break away, Felix wonders how he’ll reach dry land again, his breathing so unsteady, his limbs feeling no longer connected. Ashe smiles, chest moving in time with his own, before stepping away. 

“I’m going to swim a bit more,” he says, and Felix just has time to nod before he turns and dives away, progressing so much faster than Felix’s own halted strokes had been. He allows his heart to come back down to a steady beat as he retreats, sun drying him almost instantly as he steps out to the beach, grimacing at how the sand sticks so readily to every part of him. He finds their towels and dries off before settling himself onto the blanket. 

Time must have progressed swiftly, for the warmth is a pleasantness that almost makes him comfortable enough to lie down and nap. And perhaps he would have done if he were alone, but there is a more interesting presence capturing his attention. 

Ashe is different in water. Felix cannot place how, it’s similar to when he uses a bow in a way, that same comfortable control, slipping into something familiar, which Ashe knows he understands and can gain relaxation from that. But in the water he is...free, but also clearly enjoying what he does, not as actual escapism, but there is joy in every kick and plunge that he doesn’t have on land, and a fluidity in his movement which can only be gained by swimming. It’s hypnotising to watch, and sort of relaxing to Felix in itself. 

Or it would be, if it were not for an increasing problem: Ashe looks too damn good. 

It might be an afterglow from the heated kiss, it might be from the ways his skin still smarts from where Ashe had directed him from what he now believes might be slightly too much of hands on instruction. And that’s without just the scene playing out before him. 

The idyllic scenery, the sun and the sea, and just his boyfriend half naked and practically glistening with the way the water shines on his skin; skin Felix can still feel his hands on, wonders how it tastes in comparison with the kiss, how the tang of the salt will feel on his tongue. 

He doesn’t know how long he stays like this, just watching Ashe in a half state of intoxicated hypnosis, until he starts splashing back to shore, almost running to get out of the sea in a gleeful way that makes Felix chuckle to himself. But as Ashe makes his way towards him, Felix becomes once again lost in that ignition of heat and want, as Ashe pulls back his own sodden hair and the drops fall across his neck slowly, too slowly to be natural, and Felix is standing before he knows it, but does know exactly what he’s going to do as soon as Ashe comes in range. 

Ashe is smiling, still so at ease with everything, although his eyes do crinkle in confusion when Felix steps toward him. 

“Hey, sorry if I took a long time-”

Felix doesn’t really register what Ashe says and it doesn’t matter as he’s kissing him before he can finish his sentence. He starts with just the kiss, but his hands quickly draw Ashe to him, wrapping around his neck and pulling them flush. Felix sighs in not quite contentment but in relief this has finally begun when it seems as if it’s been inevitable for hours on end. 

Ashe responds just as swiftly, melting into Felix, hands around his waist and the contrast between Ashe’s still wet, still cool skin against Felix’s sun-warmed chest makes his shiver. Ashe runs his hands up and down Felix’s back in response as if he’s chilled, when the opposite is true. He couldn’t be more heated if he tried. Or well, that’s what the aim is. 

As he draws them closer, kissing open mouthed and hot, Ashe barely keeping in time with him, hands scrambling to hold on, he knows it’s only time before Ashe feels just how much he’s been affected by this day; by his touches, by him in the water, just by this moment and everything leading to it. And of course as soon as he rolls his hips ever so slightly Ashe moans, the sound sending shivers across Felix’s shoulders, and he does it again. 

“Felix,” Ashe moans, pulling away slightly, which works just fine as he can dive straight for his neck, Ashe’s breath stuttering as he places the smallest of kisses from his jaw downwards, finally tasting the mix of seasalt and skin, catching every drop that falls from his still wet hair. 

“Felix, ah- okay, we, we’re in public,” Ashe says, although his head is tilting to give more access, and if anything, he’s keeping Felix closer rather than pushing him away. 

There isn’t anyone around, but Felix thinks pointing this out won’t help, so with one last kiss which is more bruising than the others, he steps back. Ashe actually pouts for a moment, which makes him roll his eyes and confirms exactly what he was thinking, as he takes Ashe’s hand and pulls him the short distance towards their clothes. Except instead of stopping, he keeps moving, into the shade of the cliff and past the first row of palm trees before spinning around and crowding Ashe back against the nearest one. 

“There, less public,” he says, and then goes back to kissing Ashe’s neck. Ashe grips his hair this time, doesn’t pull but just to hold him there, keep him exactly where he wants, and that just makes Felix all the more frantic, opening his mouth to suck at more skin. 

“Ah, we’re still...still in public,” he says, and Felix sighs against Ashe’s shoulder, having got carried away in his progress. 

“Do you want to stop?” he says, standing up fully, but Ashe shakes his head and pulls him back close. 

“No, just...we should be quiet, and careful,” he says, eyes darting around, but Felix is certain this place is as cut off from anyone wandering by as it could be. 

“I’m not the one who will have to be quiet,” Felix says with a grin, then slides close, his whole body against Ashe’s feeling how hard he’s growing already, as he draws in for another kiss. 

This time he keeps it sweet, light and breaks off every few seconds, in what in another setting might be romantic and chaste except it’s exactly the opposite of what has gone before, and clearly what Ashe wants, as he groaned in frustration after a few minutes. 

“Felix, you’re so-” he breaks off to moan as Felix rocks their hips together. 

“So what? Carry on,” he says, grinning as he grinds down on Ashe hard, and his boyfriend lets out a startled half cry at the action. He takes a moment to calm enough to speak and when he does, he glares directly at Felix. 

“I’ll get you back for this,” he says, and Felix eases off a little, before smiling into his mouth. 

“I look forward to it,” he says, honestly, before he kisses Ashe properly. 

He loves this. Loves Ashe when he holds on, goes with the rhythm Felix sets and lets go, trusts him and trusts the feeling they build between them. Each touch is better than the last, and Felix does not think he’ll ever get tired of this, it can’t be possible to. He can feel his drawers tightening, his cock brushing against Ashe’s on occasion, both of them gasping or moaning quietly with every push, but it’s more than that. It’s the fleeting sparks, as if pulled from the centre of a storm and circulated in tiny pieces under his skin. It’s the whispers nonsensical words Ashe utters whenever he can, asking and wanting, as if he wants to breathe life into their actions in language only they can understand. 

Felix wants to do this forever, just kiss, touch and adore Ashe in the way he’s meant to be showered with affection, but it’s impossible. He can feel sweat drip down his back with the combined heat of their actions and the day, knowing he’s going to feel hideous later, but it’s worth it for just how good Ashe is going to feel. So he breaks his hold and pulls away enough to tug at Ashe’s smallclothes, pushing them down without ceremony. 

“I wish I’d prepared, could have taken you right against this tree,” he mutters, and Ashe grabs his face, kisses him with tongue and teeth, leaving him gasping. 

“Still the rest of the week,” Ashe pants, and Felix shudders at the thoughts and the willingness before he lifts a hand to his mouth and licks it. 

Ashe watches and his breathing escalates and Felix isn’t good at making a show of things, even if Ashe encourages him to do so; he’s working on it. But for now he thinks it’s better just to launch in, and wets his hand practically before he reaches between them and takes Ashe in hand. 

As soon as he does, Ashe moans, and Felix draws slightly to the side so he has enough room to jerk him slowly, but stays close enough to kiss. Ashe leans fully back into the tree arching his back as much as he can and Felix takes him in, almost in awe that he’s the one who sees this, who causes it, as Ashe closes his eyes and surrenders to the feeling. 

Felix therefore takes a relaxed pace, dials down the frenzy from before. Ashe is leaking over his palm so it’s an easy slide, a simple rhythm he can set them in as he leans close to Ashe’s ear. 

“Enjoying yourself?” he asks, and Ashe hums in reply, not opening his eyes, but mouth parting slightly as Felix’s thumb rubs over the head of his cock, three times carefully before returning down once more. 

“You looked too good in the water, but you know that, don’t you?” Felix whispers, and Ashe turns his head enough so Felix can sweep him into a kiss, unconsciously speeding up. Ashe pants as they part. 

“Tell me,” he whispers, opening his eyes, the green turning gold in the light, and Felix leans his head against Ashe’s forehead. 

Felix laughs softly against him as he this time deliberately speeds up, and Ashe’s noises turn almost to a whine. Felix knows this is a sign he won’t last much longer. So he indulges in the ask as his hand tightens its grip. 

“You looked so comfortable, so happy, and stunning. All that water dripping off you, I wanted to taste it all,” he says, still getting used to the fact that Ashe likes him to talk during sex, and each time wonders if he’s doing it right. 

But Ashe moans, the loudest so far and his cock pulses so Felix speeds up and leans up on a hand to cover Ashe as much as he can, those hazy eyes looking back at him. 

“Let go, I’ve got you,” he whispers, and is a little surprised when Ashe does, as if on command, coming all over his hand in a sudden rush. 

His face floods with heat as Felix lets go, clean hand coming to run through Ashe’s hair as he again closes his eyes as he calms back down. It only takes a few moments before he stands slowly, Felix keeping him close, but more out of his own need than any need to steady him. It’s another example of that overwhelming need for closeness, as if the rush of emotion does him in, and even though he wasn’t the focus, he now needs the reassurance, which Ashe seems happy to provide with how he loops an arm around Felix’s neck and draws him in for a lingering kiss. 

“Do you want me to touch you?” Ashe asks as they part, but Felix shakes his head. 

“I want to go back now,” he says, strangely just needing to be off this beach and with Ashe, only Ashe, not in a wide expanse of sea and sand, but in a room where he can just be surrounded. 

“Okay, let’s pack up then,” Ashe says, and Felix grips his hand and they walk close, both washing off in the sea quickly before collecting their belongings and heading back. 

Ashe seems to sense his mood, for he walks with one arm around Felix’s waist, only stopping when the path or the very occasional person makes this impossible. He presses the occasional kiss to Felix’s temple, and by the time they arrive at the inn that frazzled part is soothed somewhat, tapered down to a constant background hum. 

The afternoon must have turned into evening  on their return , and Felix feels like he’s falling asleep with the dip of the sun. It’s a mellow brightness now, a warm breeze picking up that helps fight off the sudden loss of energy. 

Ashe greets the innkeeper jovially, and asks if they can order dinner for later. Felix blinks, had been thinking they would go back into town later. But Ashe simply tugs on his hand once the order is placed, and half drags Felix up the stairs, who goes willingly. 

“Are you okay? You seem out of it,” Ashe asks once the door is closed. 

Felix shrugs, feeling himself lock up a little. “The usual,” he says, unsure how to phrase what’s going on, and still, even though he has explained in the past, he feels clingy and embarrassed. 

“I guessed so,” Ashe says, accepting and light, a part of the tension creeping out of him as once again, Ashe comes up behind him and wraps his arms around him, another moment of tension leaking away. 

“I would have thought you’d like to go into town tonight,” Felix mumbles, turning around in Ashe’s arms, who lets him turn but doesn’t let go, for which he’s grateful. In response to his ask, Ashe hums. 

“No, I don’t think that will work tonight,” he says, and Felix frowns. As soon as he does, Ashe steps forward, smile turning sharp, and Felix’s breath is caught. 

“Oh? Did you think I’d let you out of bed after what you did on the beach, Felix?” Ashe remarks, as if he’s asking him for the time. 

That’s all the warning he receives before, with an atmosphere change he isn’t expecting, Ashe drags him forward for a kiss. The heat from before returns abruptly as they stumble back, Ashe pushing and Felix not protesting but trying to keep himself from tripping on their way back towards the bed. 

His knees hit and they part, Felix immediately sinking into the mattress and Ashe letting go to cup his hand on Felix’s cheeks before kissing him again. Felix feels as if he’s been thrown into the eye of the storm, having to grip onto Ashe’s arms tightly, securing himself to the only thing that can keep him grounded. 

The lightning kiss ends and Ashe keeps his hands where they are. 

“Will you take off your clothes for me? And get comfortable,” he adds, and Felix nods, trying to remove them without being too eager and simply tearing them to pieces. Ashe moves with more purpose, removing his own outfit with care and control while Felix once again flings discarded garments into a corner. 

“So messy,” Ashe mutters as he climbs onto the bed, moving up Felix’s body without touching. Felix huffs and reaches out, Ashe smiling then moving into his arms, no questions asked, head dropping kisses down his neck. 

Felix gasps quietly as Ashe moves down from his neck to his collarbone, hands coming to rest in Ashe’s hair, not as a direction but as an understanding; he can feel this way where he’s going, what he’s doing. It makes everything more in a sense, and Ashe seems to enjoy having Felix’s hands in his hair, which adds to his want. 

He closes his eyes and just sinks in the current his body surges with, Ashe causing flares of energy with every touch of his hands, every kiss and pull at skin. He seeks out the parts of Felix he knows by now will make him writhe and lose control, piece by piece being stripped away. 

He knows where Ashe is going, what his aim eventually is, but it is still a shock that has him crying out when he licks a stripe down his cock. 

“Easy, I’m here,” Ashe murmurs, leaning up as Felix’s hip buck, and he throws an arm over his eyes in frustration at himself for being this wound up, even if the teasing has been going on for most of the day, and seeing Ashe come against that tree was enough to almost tip him over the edge. 

Ashe’s presence vanishes for a moment, and Felix inhales a few times before moving his arm, in time to see Ashe return with a vial. Felix sits up and leans forward for a kiss, dragging Ashe down with him, bestowing as deep a kiss as he can, all tongue, and moans softly, before dragging himself away forcefully. 

“You’re too distracting,” he says, and Felix grins, reaching for him again only for Ashe to slide back on the bed. 

“Hey, I have a plan,” he says, to which Felix sighs. 

“Fine, do what you will,” he says. 

Ashe chuckles. “You sound as if you’re not interested, which I know isn’t true. But lie back, be comfortable,” he says, and Felix does, the bed sinking under his weight deliciously. 

Ashe spreads his legs easily, and goes back to his kisses, but on the inside of Felix’s thighs, which automatically has him gasping, almost moving away from the sensation. But Ashe holds his legs as they are with gentle pressure, Felix feeling his cock start to leak as Ashe’s mouth closes high on the juncture of his legs, but not nearly close enough. 

“Ashe…” he warns, and he feels the puff of air against his skin as Ashe laughs and then, this time more carefully, goes back to his cock. 

His movements are practised, careful, and he knows how to take Felix apart with just his mouth and hands, stroking and gliding upwards, and his hips move gently with the rhythm Ashe sets with his mouth. Felix grips the sheets and moans in encouragement as a slick finger circles him, as encouraging as he’ll get. 

One finger slips inside easily, but it’s still tight, and Felix’s eyes slip shut as he focuses on relaxing. It's hard, he’s so wound up, barely clinging on. It’s been so long on and off the edge that this fulfilment is almost unbelievable. Ashe takes it slowly though, uses his mouth thoroughly and moves his finger gently, a slow build upwards. 

The second has Felix almost sighing in relief, even if the tension rises. It seems necessary now that this climbs, gaining momentum with every slide and scissoring motion. But as Ashe rubs his prostate, Felix’s eyes fly open and his control snaps. He claws at the sheets as Ashe raises a free hand to hold his hips steady. 

“Ashe, I’m gonna, move, Ashe-” he tries, but if anything Ashe sucks harder, his fingers relentless, and Felix has no ability to prevent the race and rush of pleasure. 

He comes with a choked off gasp, almost painful in its final release, Ashe not relenting with the pressure until Felix physically squirms away with a moan, too much of everything and Ashe pulls off quickly. Felix pants and turns onto his side, curling up, and buries his head into the pillow, every limb fizzing and mind a combination of blank and rushing, all too sharp and bright to deal with. 

He floats there for a moment, heart beating unevenly until it’s not, breathing a struggle until it’s steady, and the world a step away until he’s back, Ashe very carefully slotted behind him, holding him softly. 

Felix signs and turns, Ashe immediately tucking the hair from his eyes and dropping a kiss on his forehead. 

“Are you okay?” he asks, and Felix just nods, dropping his head into Ashe’s collarbone. 

“Not moving,” he mumbles, and Ashe laughs, causing him to smile. 

“Good thing we don’t have to then.”

* * *

It’s late by the time they eat, darkness fallen and Felix’s body sore in the most delicious of ways. Ashe keeps shifting where he sits and gives Felix a blank stare at the proud expression as they slowly finish their dinner. 

It’s so much nicer in the evening, the heat of the day gone, a fresh breeze from the sea Felix is learning to tolerate washing over every so often. 

“I have a...present for you,” Ashe says suddenly, and he turns, surprised at the sudden, rushed statement. 

“Why?” he asks. 

“Can’t I give the man I love a present?” Ashe asks, and Felix has to turn away at the way he wants to stumble through more questions and wonderment. But Ashe gets up and walks back into the room, allowing him a moment to compose himself until he returns. As he does he pulls his seat closer to Felix’s, and holds out a small, dark velvet pouch. 

“For you,” Ashe says, all bright eyes, and care and love of all things, making Felix once again wonder how this truly happened. 

“Thank you,” he says, and carefully opens the package. 

It’s almost too small to see, but after a moment he pulls out a small delicate silver charm of a star. It sits in his palm for a second, Felix staring at it, blinking as if it might vanish. 

“I err, saw it at that festival before the ambush. It’s not matching I don’t think, but really similar to the one your mother gave you. And we star gazed on the night you told me you loved me, so it just reminded me of you and I had to get it,” Ashe says, and Felix can tell he’s nervous by how his speech picks up, but it still takes him time to think of how to explain the emotions crowding in his head. 

But he can’t, there are no words strong enough, deep enough or filled with enough love and thankfulness for Ashe and his kindness. So he carefully places the charm down and moves forward to kiss him. 

Ashe literally squeaks, which is adorable, but falls into the kiss eagerly, and Felix knows what he’s trying to convey is understood. 

“Thank you,” he whispers as they part, and reaches back to untie the chain, Ashe watching with a smile so wide it seems impossible as he adds the new charm to the chain. When he secures it, it feels right, the second small piece of metal cold against his warm body.

He holds out his hand, and Ashe takes it without question, standing up. 

“I love you. Let’s go back inside,” Felix says, and it’s Ashe’s turn to kiss him, fleeting but fierce, arms around him. 

“I love you, too. So much,” he says, and nothing more as Felix moves them in, ignoring the dishes they’ll bring back inside hours later, cold from the depth of the night. 

For now, Felix is too in love to see anything but Ashe for the next few hours.   
  


**Author's Note:**

> In the back of my drafts there is one more fic in this series which details when Ashe gets injured with the poison axe. I WILL finish that...I will!
> 
> Come find me on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/EnlacingL/)


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